The controversial blogger and occasional Cif contributor, Hossein Derakhshan, has been arrested in Tehran, according to the Iranian website, Jahan News (summary in English here).

London-based Derakhshan reportedly went back to Iran about three weeks ago. The circumstances of his arrest are unclear but according to the Iranian report he has "admitted" to spying for Israel - a charge that could have extremely serious consequences if the authorities in Tehran decide to pursue it.

The more the clash between the West and Iran escalates, the more convinced I become that soon I have to take one side in this nasty conflict. Between Bush and Khamenei, I definitely take Khamenei's side ... If the US waged a war against Iran, I'd absolutely go back and defend Iran. I can't let myself to sit down for a moment and watch [them] make a Baghdad out of Tehran.

More recently, he has been regarded as a defender of President Ahmedinejad. Though declaring himself on his blog to be an atheist, he wrote in an article for Cif last year:

I believe the Islamic Republic is a valuable cause, worth defending and, at its worst, is way better than anything that the United States or anyone else can bring to Iran.